Pope Leo names EWTN executive as first woman to lead Vatican communications

​Pope Leo named an executive ​with U.S. Catholic ‌media conglomerate ​EWTN as the new head of the Vatican's communications department on Tuesday, in the ‌first appointment of a woman to the senior Church role. Maria Montserrat Alvarado, originally from Mexico City, will lead the Vatican's Dicastery ‌for Communications, a sprawling operation that oversees the Vatican's news ‌portal, radio station, newspaper and press office, among other entities.

​Pope Leo named an executive ​with U.S. Catholic ‌media conglomerate ​EWTN as the new head of the Vatican's communications department on Tuesday, in the ‌first appointment of a woman to the senior Church role.

Maria Montserrat Alvarado, originally from Mexico City, will lead the Vatican's Dicastery ‌for Communications, a sprawling operation that oversees the Vatican's news ‌portal, radio station, newspaper and press office, among other entities. Alvarado, president and chief operating officer of EWTN News since 2023, will replace Paolo Ruffini, ⁠who ​has been in ⁠the role since 2018 and is retiring. She will start her duties ⁠in November, said a statement.

The Eternal Word Television Network was launched by ​a nun named Mother Angelica in 1981, but has grown ⁠into a global media conglomerate with nearly a dozen TV stations, a ⁠book ​publishing division, a newspaper and radio affiliate. The station often appeals to conservative U.S. Catholics. President Donald Trump has appeared ⁠on the network several times and one of its top hosts is ⁠a ⁠Fox News contributor.

The network was an occasional critic of the late Pope Francis, who complained about ‌it "bad-mouthing" ‌him.